Welcome to our Wiki. The potential for what we can create is endless.


In the near future at Joan MacQueen:

1) What will classes look like?

  • 1 - 27 ratio
  • laptops for every student and teacher
  • laptop cart
  • flexible groupings between partners
  • smaller class sizes
  • longer day with FRidays for planning
  • proper placements (advanced,inner core,AVID, etc.)
  • having a school within a school (more camaderie)
  • clerical help/aides to run copies/machines
  • document cameras
  • electronic readers
  • quick transitions with media(kids more hands on)
  • textbooks for EVERY student
  • multi-modalities in classes
  • specialists with electives
  • sufficient supplies for projects without teachers using money
  • emphasize foreign language
  • more of the arts (with specialists)
  • special ed; more aides to help with paper work and behavior
  • equipment replaced in a timely manner
  • teachers getting paid for after school activities
  • support classes for latch-key middle schoolers at our site and within our community
  • well-equipped, up to date, useful technology Ex: docucams, smartboards
  • manageable class size, <28
  • newer condition of texts, more than one copy to send home
  • updated technology, computer lab availability
  • library availability
  • general supplies available: butcher paper, copy paper, pencils, lamination, etc
  • art and music classes
  • microphones that work for presentations and assemblies
  • improved acoustics in the gym
  • supplies for health ed and PE
  • money for buses for field trips for after school sporting events
  • positive reenforcement program - get back to the candy...a little goes a long way
  • heterogeneous grouping, stop stratifying our classes
  • properly placed students
  • updated facility, regular custodian/maintenance schedule
  • all classes and subjects grouped by ability
  • flexible grouping by ability or not
  • materials available-basics (pencils, paper)
  • less decompartmentalization to improve consistency of instruction
  • 1 - 27 ratio
  • laptops for every student and teacher
  • laptop carts for classrooms
  • Smart cards & smartboards
  • language person for people who speak foreign languages
  • variety of classes to reach student interests and levels
  • specialized classrooms that match content - environment specific (art room for art class)
  • furniture that allows for variety of classroom configurations
  • updated technology
  • more $ for supplies
  • wireless system for campus
  • staff development outside of scheduled student days; not pulled out of classroom
  • Implementation of software/systems in which all glitches have been figured out before beign required
  • students shall be engaged
  • classes will be balanced
  • proper materials
  • enough books
  • updated materials/technology
  • class size as small as possible
  • criteria for class adhered to (i.e. inner core, gate, etc.)
  • proper class placement
  • kids will feel safe and accepted
  • support personnel will be there in all classes
  • learning obvious by class displays/products
  • placement in classes is supported/vocalized by administration during parent meetings

2) What will students be doing?

  • definitely engaged and active in learning
  • project based learning
  • pursuing interests
  • enjoying learning in a multi-modal enviroonment
  • using technology to its fullest
  • working with teams
  • WICR
  • AVIDologies
  • more face-to-face dialogue/debate/socratic seminar (teacher = facilitator)
  • time to enjoy reading (set aside school-wide time for daily reading)
  • tutorials in the classroom
  • interractive, engaging projects
  • arts and music included in lessons
  • technology
  • dynamic lessons where students want to be there
  • less teaching to the test
  • students connected to the learning
  • projects
  • reading every day, freedom to choose
  • laptops
  • positive reenforcement
  • meaningful activities that kids look forward to Ex: holidays, special events
  • fun back in the classroom
  • more cross overs where one grade level helps another
  • students on task in a safe and positive environment
  • immediate consequence for disruptions to learning
  • enforce zero tolerance-offer anger mgmt or conflict resolution to violators
  • meeting higher standards thru individual effort
  • portfolio as an evaluation tool
  • thinking critically
  • learning in their best style
  • not always working on standards
  • hands-on real world experience and education
  • vocational training for the non-college bound
  • teach only the standards that the students don't know
  • implement character ed in all classrooms
  • See satelite interaction with other classes
  • Actively engaged students
  • varied activities and tasks
  • No packets
  • Variety of tools for students to use: white boards, manipulatives, computers, etc.
  • Students working on real life applications
  • Community-based projects
  • Students enjoying the learning process
  • Happy atmosphere
  • Want to be there - students
  • Students motivated to take learning into their own hands
  • * on task/engaged
  • * actively participating
  • * working harder than the teacher
  • * students working on a variety of curriculum
  • * having appropriate materials/manipulatives for each lesson/subject
  • * active learning/collaborating
  • * taking ownership/responsibility
  • * linking their education to the real world
  • * applying subject to real world
  • * field trips
  • * following the teacher's direction
  • * having fun
  • * laughing
  • * thinking
  • * acting proud
  • * showing commitment
  • * performing/doing/acting/talking/writing
  • * using the arts for their learning
  • * encouraging each other
  • * cooperating/using teamwork


3) What will teachers, staff and admin be doing?

Teachers will:
  • * communicate with peers
  • * share and support each other
  • * have the time and resources to do
  • * built in support system especially for new teachers
  • * time to collaborate with support staff and other teachers (other schools as well)
  • * teachers have ability to coach and be coached

  • Planning together - collaboration - by subject and grade level

  • working cooperatively as result of feeling supported & encouraged by each other

  • Direct instruction

  • small group facilitation

  • individual conferences and goal setting for students

  • correlating standards between grade levels

  • vertical teaming

  • team teaching
  • Teacher relationship with students - must be personal and affirming
  • Working without stress and confusion
  • Educating students
  • Teach students


Admin Will:
  • * get organized
  • * timely info
  • * teacher input on decisions
  • * listen to us
  • * not micromanaging us
  • * FOLLOW through
  • * better planning of scheduling (fire drills, CPTs,)
  • * advance notification of changes
  • * better prepared
  • * treated professionally
  • * no lip service
  • * courteous treatment
  • Keep all lines of communication open with everyone
  • Proactive
  • Visible
  • Interacting with kids
  • Making sure students and teachers have what they need before they need it
  • When coming into classroom, give some kind of feedback - good & bad, but honest and ongoing
  • Should come up with creative solutions to problems that impact the classroom the least
  • Allow us to be the professionals we are - value our opinion
  • Pay us what we are worth
  • Support Admin - Enforce the rules with NO exceptions
  • not teaching to a test
  • * encouraging
  • * setting high expectations
  • * positively reinforcing
  • * modeling
  • * enforcing accountability with students/parents
  • * praising, laughing, acting proud
  • * making students a top priority
  • * sharing ideas/collaborating
  • * observing colleagues
  • * listening
  • * supporting other teachers
  • * administrators treating teachers as professionals
  • * being committed to the classroom
  • * administrators being organized, following through
  • * admin having reasonable expectations
  • * admin providing positive feedback
  • * admin respecting teachers' judgment and knowledge of students' needs(not just based on a #)
  • * admin understanding the workload of teachers and not adding to overload
  • * admin being empathetic - remembering the teachers' perspective
  • * admin helping students
  • * support staff actively helping

Staff (classified)
  • Need to be kind and polite to students and each other
    They need to remember that students are there
  • Need to make personal connections with kids
  • Support teaching staff more in classrooms
  • Receive training for specialized jobs
  • Run ALC
General
  • displaying a caring attitude to every student
  • smiling, happy,
  • team-teaching
  • collaboration (more time and opportunities to work with one another)
  • all staff must have direct interaction with kids
  • fair consistent
  • more observations of other classrooms/teachers
  • administrators working side by side with teachers and student
  • administrators spending time in classrooms more to see dynamics and combinations of students
  • clear lines of communication, clear and consistent expectations
  • building lines of communication from the bottom up
  • teaching with a focus on and awareness of what the brain and mind are doing when learning
  • conscious embedded planning time
  • we are enjoying teaching because we are not burned out
  • praising other staff members
  • support of teachers by administration (words of encouragement, helping place students in mainstream classes, recognizing tremendous amount of paperwork, preparation when needed)
  • support for behavior problems
  • ASB as a collaboration between teachers